Text 2The real heroine of the novel stands at one remove to the narrative. On the face of

Text2Therealheroineofthenovelstandsatoneremovetothenarrative.Onthefaceofit,readersaremorelikelytoempathizewith,andbecuriousabout,themysteriousandresourcefulslave,Sarah,whoformsonepointofanemotionaltr iangle.SarahisthepropertyofManon,andcamewithhertoafailingLouisianasugarplantationonhermarriagetothegood-for-nothing,bullyingowner.ButManon’shusbandissoonstr uckbySarah,andtheproofliesintheiridiotsmallson,Walter.

However,thereaderisforcedtoseethingsthroughManon’seyes,notSarah’s,andherconsciousnessisnotacomfortable placetobe.Neverapleaseorathankyoupassesherlipswhentalkingtoslaves,thoughmannersistheorderofthedayinwhitesociety.Manonisenormouslyattr actedbyinter-racialmarriage(fortheplaceandtime—theearly19thcentury—suchaconcernwouldnotbeunusual,butinhercaseitseemspathological).Walter,with“hisfather’scurlyredhairandgreeneyes,hismother’sgoldenskin,herfull,pushing-forwardlips”,istheobjectofherespecialhatr ed,butshechattersonaboutallthe“dreadfulmixed-blooded”,theobjectionable“yellow”people.

BeyondManon’spolarizedvision,weglimpse“freenegros”andtheemergingblackmiddle-class.ToManon’sdisgust,suchpeopleactuallyhaveself-respect.InNewOrleansbuyingshoes,Manonistakenabackbytheshopkeeper’slackofdesiredrespect.MixedraceprostitutesacquiredtheaffectionsofmaleplantersbygivingthemsomethingmysterioustheirwivescannotoftenWhatthatmightbe,andwhywivescan’tofferittoo,arequestionsManoncan’tevenask,letaloneanswer.

ThefirstthirdofthebookexplorestheuneasyandunsustainablepeacebetweenManon,Sarahandthemanalwayscalledjust“myhusband”or“he”.Againstthebackgroundofviolentslaverevoltsandequallysavagerevenges,it’sclearthepeacecannotlast.It’spartofthesubtletyofthisbookthatasthestorydevelopsandtheinevitable explosionoccurs,ourviewofallthecharactersswiftlychanges.SarahturnsouttodeserveallthesuspicionManondirectsather;atthepointofdeathManon’shusbanddisplaysanadmirabletoughnessandcourage;andManonherselfwinsthereader’sreluctantadmirationforherbravery,herendurance,andhertotallackofself-pity.

Perhapsthecruelestaspectofthissocietyisthewayitbreaksdownanddistortsfamilyaffections.Aslave’sbabyisusuallysoldsoonafterbirth;Sarah’swould-behusband,ifhewantsher,mustbuyher;andManonherself,afterall,isonlythepropertyofherhusband.

第26题：WhichofthefollowingreflectsManon’sattitudetowardscoloredpeople?

［A］Sympathetic.

［B］Suspicious.

［C］Concerned.

［D］Disgusted.

本题考查推理引申。第二段第二句介绍了玛侬和奴隶谈话从不注意礼貌。第二段第三句提到，玛侬对异族通婚有着强烈的兴趣（enormouslyattr acted）……她的过度关注却是病态的（pathological）。该段末句提到，玛侬喋喋不休地谈论着所有“可怕的混血”，讨厌的“黄种”人。综合上述内容可知，玛侬对有色人种是厌恶的。［D］正确。